Prevalence of feline hyperthyroidism in Greece

PDF
Published: Jul 3, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/jhvms.35138
Keywords:
Cattle biochemistry clinical signs haematology hormone epidemiology thyroid
KCG Kokkinaki
Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Str., GR-43132, Karditsa, Greece
PG Xenoulis
Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Str., GR-43132, Karditsa, Greece
JM Steiner
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA
JS Suchodolski
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA
ME Mylonakis
Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 11 Stavrou Voutyra Str., GR-54627, Thessaloniki, Greece
MN Saridomichelakis
Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Str., GR-43132, Karditsa, Greece
Abstract

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disease of cats and usually occurs in middle-aged to older animals. The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of feline hyperthyroidism in Greece, and a secondary aim was to compare the clinical signs, haematological and serum biochemical findings between hyperthyroid and non-hyperthyroid cats.


A total of 80 cats, six years of age or older, were prospectively enrolled. The diagnosis of hyperthyroidism was based on serum concentrations of total thyroxine (measured by a solid-phase chemiluminescent competitive assay) and free thyroxin (measured by an equilibrium dialysis radioimmunoassay).


Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed in 4/80 (5%) of the cats. Clinical and laboratory findings that were significantly more common in hyperthyroid compared to the non-hyperthyroid cats included a palpable thyroid nodule, depression-lethargy, dyspnoea, and decreased blood urea nitrogen concentration.


Feline hyperthyroidism appears to be relatively common in Greece and routine measurement of thyroid hormone concentration should be considered in all middle-aged and older cats.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Research Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

· Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Bellows, J., Center, S., Daristotle, L., Estrada, A.H., Flickinger, E.A.,
Horwitz, D.F., Lascelles, B.D., Lepine, A., Perea, S., Scherk, M.,
Shoveller, A.K., 2016. Aging in cats: Common physical and functional
changes. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 18, 533-550.
Bree, L., Gallagher, B.A., Shiel, R.E., Mooney, C.T., 2018. Prevalence
and risk factors for hyperthyroidism in Irish cats from the greater
Dublin area. Ir Vet J 71, 2.
Broome, M.R., 2006. Thyroid scintigraphy in hyperthyroidism. Clin
Tech Small Anim Pract 21, 10-16.
Broussard, J.D., Peterson, M.E., Fox, P.R., 1995. Changes in clinical
and laboratory findings in cats with hyperthyroidism from 1983 to
J Am Vet Med Assoc 206, 302-305.
Bucknell, D.G., 2000. Feline hyperthyroidism: spectrum of clinical
presentions and response to carbimazole therapy. Aust Vet J 78,
-465.
De Wet, C.S., Mooney, C.T., Thompson, P.N., Schoeman, J.P., 2009.
Prevalence of and risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism in Hong
Kong. J Feline Med Surg 11, 315-321.
Dias Neves, R., Horspool, L.J.I., 2014. Prevalence of hyperthyroidism
in Portuguese cats. In: Proceedings of the European College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine for Companion Animals Congress,
Mainz, Germany: pp 475.
DiGangi, B.A., Graves, J., Budke, C.M., Levy, J.K., Tucker, S., Isaza, N.,
Assessment of body weight for age determination in kittens.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 22, 322-328.
Edinboro, C.H., Scott-Moncrieff, J.C., Janovitz, E., Thacker, H.L.,
Glickman, L.T., 2004. Epidemiologic study of relationships between
consumption of commercial canned food and risk of hyperthyroidism
in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224, 879-886.
Frenais, R., Rosenberg, D., Burgaud, S., Horspool, L.J., 2009. Clinical
efficacy and safety of a once-daily formulation of carbimazole in
cats with hyperthyroidism. J Small Anim Pract 50, 510-515.
Gallagher, B., Mooney, C.T., 2013. Prevalence and risk factors for
hyperthyroidism in Irish cats from the greater Dublin area. In: Proceedings
of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Congress, Seattle, Washington: pp 689.
Gójska Zygner, O., Lechowski, R., Zygner, W., 2014. Prevalence of
feline hyperthyroidism in mature cats in urban population in Warsaw.
Bull Vet Inst Pulawy 58, 267-271.
Grossi, G., Zoia, A., Palagiano, P., Leoni, N., Bubini-Regini, F., Malerba,
E., Peli, A., Biagi, G., Fracassi, F., 2019. Iodine-restricted food
versus pharmacological therapy in the management of feline hyperthyroidism:
a controlled trial in 34 cats. Open Vet J 9, 196-204.
Hale, F.A., 2005. Juvenile veterinary dentistry. Veterinary Clinics of
North America: Small Animal Practice 35, 789-817.
Hibbert, A., Gruffydd-Jones, T., Barrett, E.L., Day, M.J., Harvey, A.M.,
Feline thyroid carcinoma: diagnosis and response to highdose
radioactive iodine treatment. J Feline Med Surg 11, 116-124.
Hiebert, E.C., Panciera, D.L., Boes, K.M., Bartl, L., 2020. Platelet function
in cats with hyperthyroidism. J Feline Med Surg 22, 1214-1218.
Köhler, I., Ballhausen, B.D., Stockhaus, C., Hartmann, K., Wehner,
A., 2016. Prevalence of and risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism
among a clinic population in Southern Germany. Tierärztliche Praxis
Kleintiere 44, 149-157.
Kraft, W., Buchler, F., 1999. Hyperthyroidism: incidence in the cat.
Tierärztliche Praxis Kleintiere 27, 386-388.
McLean, J.L., Lobetti, R.G., Mooney, C.T., Thompson, P.N., Schoeman,
J.P., 2017. Prevalence of and risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism
in South Africa. J Feline Med Surg 19, 1103-1109.
Milner, R.J., Channell, C.D., Levy, J.K., Schaer, M., 2006. Survival
times for cats with hyperthyroidism treated with iodine 131, methimazole,
or both: 167 cases (1996-2003). J Am Vet Med Assoc
, 559-563.
Naan, E.C., Kirpensteijn, J., Kooistra, H.S., Peeters, M.E., 2006. Results
of thyroidectomy in 101 cats with hyperthyroidism. Vet Surg
, 287-293.
Nussbaum, L.K., Scavelli, T.D., Scavelli, D.M., Pintar, J., Henderson,
A.K., DeMarco, J.A., Worwag, S., Bastian, R.P., Kittner, H.S., 2015.
Abdominal Ultrasound Examination Findings in 534 Hyperthyroid
Cats Referred for Radioiodine Treatment Between 2007-2010. J Vet
Intern Med 29, 1069-1073.
O’Neill, D.G., Church, D.B., McGreevy, P.D., Thomson, P.C., Brodbelt,
D.C., 2014. Prevalence of disorders recorded in cats attending
primary-care veterinary practices in England. Vet J 202, 286-291.
Paepe, D., Smets, P., van Hoek, I., Saunders, J., Duchateau, L., Daminet,
S., 2008. Within- and between-examiner agreement for two thyroid
palpation techniques in healthy and hyperthyroid cats. J Feline Med
Surg 10, 558-565.
Peterson, M.E., 2006. Diagnostic tests for hyperthyroidism in cats. Clin
Tech Small Anim Pract 21, 2-9.
Peterson, M.E., 2013a. Hyperthyroidism in cats. In: Clinical Endocrinology
of Companion Animals Blackwell, Lowa: pp 295-310.
Peterson, M.E., 2013b. More than just T(4): diagnostic testing for hyperthyroidism
in cats. J Feline Med Surg 15, 765-777.
Peterson, M.E., Broome, M.R., 2015. Thyroid scintigraphy findings in
cats with hyperthyroidism. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 56, 84-95.
Peterson, M.E., Ferguson, D.C., 1983. Feline hyperthyroidism: Pretreatment
clinical and laboratory evaluation of 131 cases. J Am
Vet Med Assoc 183, 103-110.
Peterson, M.E., Guterl, J.N., Nichols, R., Rishniw, M., 2015. Evaluation
of Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Concentration as
a Diagnostic Test for Hyperthyroidism in Cats. J Vet Intern Med
, 1327-1334.
Peterson, M.E., Johnson, J.G., Andrews, L.K., 1979. Spontaneous hyperthyroidism
in the cat. Proceedings of the American College of Veterinary
Internal Medicine, Seattle, Washington, June 1979 pp.108.
Peterson, M.E., Randolf, J.F., Mooney, C.T., 1994. Endocrine diseases.
In: Sherding RG, ed. The cat: diseases and clinical management.
nd ed. Churchill Living-stone, New York: pp 1416-1452.
Puig, J., Cattin, I., Seth, M., 2015. Concurrent diseases in hyperthyroid
cats undergoing assessment prior to radioiodine treatment. J Feline
Med Surg 17, 537-542.
Sangster, J.K., Panciera, D.L., Abbott, J.A., 2013. Cardiovascular effects
of thyroid disease. Compend Contin Educ Vet 35, E5.
Sassnau, R., 2006. Epidemiological investigation on the prevalence
of feline hyperthyroidism in an urban population in Germany.
Tierärztliche Praxis Kleintiere 34, 450-457.
Scarlett, J.M., Sydney Moise, N., Rayl, J., 1988. Feline hyperthyroidism:
a descriptive and case-control study. Prev Vet Med 6, 295-309.
Stephens, M.J., O’Neill, D.G., Church, D.B., McGreevy, P.D., Thomson,
P.C., Brodbelt, D.C., 2014. Feline hyperthyroidism reported in primary-
care veterinary practices in England: prevalence, associated
factors and spatial distribution. Vet Rec 175, 458.
Syme, H.M., 2007. Cardiovascular and renal manifestations of hyperthyroidism.
Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 37, 723-743, vi.
Thoday, K.L., Mooney, C.T., 1992. Historical, clinical and laboratory
features of 126 hyperthyroid cats. Vet Rec 131, 257-264.
Trepanier, L.A., 2006. Medical management of hyperthyroidism. Clin
Tech Small Anim Pract 21, 22-28.
Turrel, J.M., Feldman, E.C., Nelson, R.W., Cain, G.R., 1988. Thyroid
carcinoma causing hyperthyroidism in cats: 14 cases (1981-1986).
J Am Vet Med Assoc 193, 359-364.
Wakeling, J., Elliott, J., Syme, H., 2011. Evaluation of predictors for
the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in cats. J Vet Intern Med 25,
-1065.
Wakeling, J., Melian, C.A.F., 2005. Evidence for Differing Incidences
of Feline Hyperthyroidism in London, Uk and Spain. In: Proceedings
of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine for
Companion Animals Congress, Glasgow, Scotland: pp 2005.
Williams, T.L., Elliott, J., Berry, J., Syme, H.M., 2013. Investigation of
the pathophysiological mechanism for altered calcium homeostasis
in hyperthyroid cats. J Small Anim Pract 54, 367-373.
Williams, T.L., Peak, K.J., Brodbelt, D., Elliott, J., Syme, H.M., 2010.
Survival and the development of azotemia after treatment of hyperthyroid
cats. J Vet Intern Med 24, 863-869.
Most read articles by the same author(s)